Incomplete Transition: Military Power and Democracy in Argentina by J. Patrice McSherry, St. Martin's Press, 1997, 408 pp., $45 (cloth). Incomplete Transition: Military Power and Democracy in Argentina convincingly demonstrates that despite the transition to democracy that took place in Argentina starting in 1983, the military retains sub- stantial power. The book suggests that, in fact, the armed forces do not favor democratization and remain committed to an authoritarian, right-wing agenda. After a brief theoretical discus- sion and a historical sketch of the development of the national secu- rity state in Argentina, McSherry moves to the core of the study, in which she examines the presiden- cies of Ratil Alfonsin (1983-1989) and Carlos Menem (1989- ). The author carefully demonstrates how the armed forces gradually imposed their agenda on civilian politicians during this period. She examines the ways in which military officers and their allies worked their way into positions of influence in almost every sector of government, which leads her to argue that by 1996, Argentina's transition to democracy was hardly complete. McSherry's material shows that the military sought to establish what she calls a "guardian democracy," in which the armed forces act as mediators, set the standards and protect their posi- tion by any means possible. The armed forces maintain that their actions during the dirty war, which left perhaps as many as 30,000 people dead or disappeared, were justified given the circum- stances and that they should not be held accountable for doing their job. They have also demanded jurisdic- tion over Argentina's internal and external security, which implies a vindication of their previous actions. Once Alfonsfn took office, the military began a concerted cam- paign to achieve these objectives, and he continuously gave ground on both demands. Menem, on the other hand, inte- grated both current and former members of the military into his government and pardoned the gen- erals who had been convicted for the atrocities committed during the military regime. As part of his rap- prochement with the United States, Menem gave the armed forces con- trol over internal security, including intelligence and surveillance, and made them responsible for the war against drugs and terrorism. The actions of both Alfonsin and Menem must be seen in the context of a continuing mass movement against impunity and the extension of the military's power, and for leg- islative and presidential responsibil- ity. McSherry argues that had the popular movement not existed, the military would have created even greater obstacles to the democratic process. In many ways, McSherry's book reveals the extreme fragility of Argentine democracy. The military has a troubling degree of autonomy, and as an institution, it still espouses a national security doctrine that opposes liberal democracy. It has direct access to the highest seats of power as well as representatives or close allies in important govern- ment positions. The military has also been implicated in more recent acts of terrorism, like the bombings of the Israeli Embassy and the Argentine-Israelite Mutual Assoc- iation, and has full control over the training curriculum of its personnel, which includes instruction on the use of torture. This being the case, can it be said that democracy exists in Argentina at all? McSherry's material also leads to the conclusion that in the aftermath of state terrorism, and despite the return to electoral democracy, the population remains traumatized. Saber rattling or public threats made by the President can convince many not to exercise democratic rights like free speech or assembly. Backed by selective repression against journalists and other social activists, fear has proven a viable instrument of control. Recent mass protests against right-wing terror- ism and impunity may indicate that this is changing, but it has taken time. McSherry has written a well- argued and solidly researched book. Although in places details over- whelm the reader, they are neces- sary when dealing with often shad- owy actors and events. Incomplete Transition is must a for anyone interested in contemporary Argentina or in the Latin American military. Those concerned with U.S. foreign policy will also find this a useful case study of how U.S. support for foreign militaries works against democracy rather than for it.
